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Chertoff met with ministers Noel Dempsey and Willie O'Dea to discuss the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s proposal to move to full pre-clearance operations (customs and immigration) at Shannon and Dublin airports. Dempsey and O'Dea advised that negotiations shold be help quietly because of a "sensitivity" among a small group of citizens over the US military use of Shannon. The US "should not underestimate the ability of some to make mischief" they said, and they made a link between rendition flights and full pre-clearance negotiations. Dempsey said that it "would be better to negotiate behind the scenes. After all, when
you're defending, you're losing. He "had some legal concerns over powers of detention and US officials searching people.
There was also discussion about scanning planes for radiation - Shannon was described as an "ideal location" by Chertoff.